She Never Sleeps
by liamsmitty
Summary: My fanfiction explores Samara's life with her adoptive parents, and her relationship with a psychiatrist at Eola County Psychiatric Hospital who takes her on a journey of emotional and physical healing. She also befriends a young boy at the hospital. Please read and review! DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Ring or any of the characters. All rights go to Dreamworks and Gore Verbinski.
1. St Mary Magdolen Woman's Shelter

**Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?**

**Chapter 1: St Mary Magdolen Woman's Shelter. **

The old ranch of Moesko Island was quiet, unmoving as Anna Morgan stood in front of a oval glass mirror, smoothing back the elegant locks of her black hair with a brush. The red face of the sun rose up slowly beyond the cragged bodies of the pines, illuminating her face with a glowing, eccentric light. Her chest released a great sigh relief. After trying to conceive a child for more then three years, her patience was pushed to the limit, the waiting was finally over. Every child they tried to have resulted in failure until only just recently, Anna had heard from a local of the mainland that an orphanage called St. Mary Magdolen Woman's Shelter, just near of Moesko Island would be happy to assist in adopting a child. The orphanage on the mainland had received and accepted the adoption papers without question, and Anna was pleased when the letter in the mail arrived two days later. She remembered reading the letter with much enthusiasm, her face lighting up with an expression of ecstasy and delight. It was addressed via a typewriter and the message was exceptionally short, only in one sentence. Anna was somewhat curious but at the same time, she was excited about it.

**Dear Mr. and Mrs. Morgan **

We are pleased to announce that your papers have been confirmed and the chance of adopting a child will appointed to you in due time.

Yours sincerely,

St. Mary Magdolen Woman's Shelter Washington

Richard, Anna's husband gazed at her with a small frown. He was a man of medium build with dark set blue eyes that blazed with authority and grizzled grey hair that plastered to his head. Apart from that he and his wife were horse owners on Moesko Island, hosting horse shows from time to time with great succession. Richard adored his horses and so did Anna. He had wanted a child more then anything, but only if she had conceived one. He was however very unsure about adopting, and he hid this expression when his wife turned to him, her hair pulled back firmly in a tight bun. 'What do you think honey?' she asked curiously.

'My dear you couldn't look more fabulous' Richard replied in a soothing voice.

Anna beamed at him then quickly packed up her belongings and headed for the car, with Richard following close behind. In exactly ten minutes later they were on the winding path to the ferry that would lead to the mainland. Anna could not erase the smile of her face as they drove down the road. Richard's eyes were staring ahead in concentration, not glancing much at his wife. Anna gazed at him and smiled reassuringly.

'Do you think we should get a boy or a girl?' she asked softly. Richard shook his head stiffly.

'I don't know honey,' he grunted, keeping his eyes on the road. Anna somehow knew what he was thinking and stared at him for a long minute of intensive silence.

'Richard, you are okay with this decision, we talked about it last night'.

Richard gave a long deep sigh as his eyes wavered towards his wife.

'I thought that if we had decided on a child it would consist of our own flesh and blood, not a child from some woman's shelter' he replied somewhat gruffly, his hands clenching the steering wheel of the black 1950 Cadillac more tightly then usual.

Anna just smiled again and laid a comforting reassuring hand on his shoulder.

'I know darling' she soothed. 'I really did want that too. But maybe it was gods resolution for us to adopt a child instead of giving birth'.

Richard shut his eyes tightly for a second, and then opened them again.

'I thought god told us that we weren't meant to have a child at all'.

Anna sighed again and squeezed his shoulder lovingly.

'Richard honey, I want a child more then anything' she said with a small hint of pain in her voice. At these words Richard felt a stabbing wave of pity rush through his body. The sensitivity of her voice made his heart weep. 'If you don't want a child I understand…'

'No' he replied, a little more sharply then usual. 'I want you to feel happy and I desperately want to go though with this'. In his heart however he felt a sensation of agony wash through him like cold water. He hated lying to his wife, but at the same time he wanted her to feel cheerful.

In about fourteen minutes they arrived at the ferry to the mainland. Richard parked the car and got out slowly, his muscles stiff from the clutching of the steering wheel. Anna was waiting for him at the stern, watching the water lap up against the sides of the ferry.

'Isn't it beautiful' she commented as they surveyed the flickering glow of the Moesko lighthouse, its beam casting a glare that lit up the extremities of their faces. Richard glanced over at her gradually and gave a small smile. The ferry ride was sluggish and the condition of the sea was calm and tranquil. After the two had disembarked, they took the main road to the orphanage. Anna's face was still bright and optimistic, her expression a mixture of excitement and joy. After about an hour of driving along the main highway they turned off onto a side road. On either side there were large oak trees, their branches knurled and withered while the leaves swayed with gentle delicacy. Eventually the car pulled up outside the orphanage and Anna and Richard both gazed at it. Out of all the buildings the Morgan's had encountered, they had never seen a shabbier looking building. Large thickets of Ivy hung over some of its windows like thick green venomous snakes, twisting and curling their tendrils around the panes of glass and frames. There were tiles missing from the roof, and the battered looking sign just outside, emitted an ominous creaking noise of metal against metal. Richard shuddered a little; this place was making him very uneasy. Anna meanwhile was looking excited at checking out the children, seemingly unfazed by the appearance of the building.

Suddenly a woman in her mid fifties came bustling out of the front door. She had dark brown eyes that were hard and stern, and auburn hair that was swept back in a ponytail. Her appearance made Richard's eyes narrow slightly while Anna met the woman's eyes with a smile.

'You must be the Morgan's' she said somewhat hastily.

'Indeed we are' Anna replied merrily.

'We have many fine children for you to look at, and I am sure they are very keen to meet you' the woman declared and held out a pudgy hand.

'I am Sister Elizabeth by the way, I run the shelter here' she added.

'Anna and this is my husband Richard' Anna exclaimed shaking her hand with enthusiasm.

'Now if you don't mind could you please follow me' Elizabeth continued. She retreated into the shelter with Anna and Richard following close behind. As they stepped inside the appearance of the building changed into a more splendid look with beautiful stain glass windows and a polished wooden floor. They went past a large window where a group of boys were all laughing together and playing cricket. Anna glanced to the right and saw a small garden littered with roses and other flowers. In the centre of the garden stood a fountain with a beautiful statue of Mary situated above. Anna gazed into the depths of the fountain and watched the water lap gently against its sides. She glanced back at the boys and noticed that everyone was seemingly keeping there distance from the garden. Elizabeth was watching Anna's gaze with discontent, her brown eyes hardening to narrowed slits. Not wanting to cause a scene she cleared her throat abruptly, 'Mrs. Morgan'. Anna who was still staring at the fountain jumped a little when she spoke. She turned her gaze to face Elizabeth and asked 'Why does no one go near that garden?

Elizabeth opened her mouth for a second, then closed it again. Then she replied stiffly 'I would rather not dwell into that'.

'Why not?' Anna asked somewhat curiously.

Elizabeth sighed a little, averting her gaze 'Something happened there and I think it is best if it is kept quite'.

Not wanting to ask any more of Anna's questions, Elizabeth hurried along the corridor and pointed towards the very end where it opened out into a large room. 'You will find all the young kids here' she said with a smile. She turned to walk back but suddenly stopped again, slowly facing them, 'oh by the way if you need assistance just give me a shout'.

'Will do' Anna replied as Elizabeth scurried down the hall and back to the main desk. Richard watched her go, deliberately raising an eyebrow.

'She seemed to be in a rush' he mused. Anna meanwhile shrugged and began to walk around the children.

'Which one picks your fancy?' Richard asked.

'I really would like to have a girl, a young one' she replied.

Richard glanced around the room and pointed to a group of laughing girls, 'there are a group of girls over here' he gestured.

Anna began to walk over to examine them, when out of the corner of her eye she spotted a little girl sitting alone at the windowsill.

Anna had many relatives on Moesko Island who had children but she had never seen a girl like this before. She appeared to be eight years old with very pale skin, white as marble and extremely long black raven hair that rippled and cascaded like a waterfall down to her waist. Some of the long hair was obscuring her face and her eyes were a dark brown and unblinking. She wore a flowing white dress that ended at her ankles. On her feet were little black shoes, which were finely polished. The girl just sat there, not moving a muscle and watching a green bottle fly crawl across the pane, its wings twitching occasionally. Anna's eyes lit up at the sight of the girl.

'Richard over there!' she said pointing.

Richard's face fell upon her and his insides squirmed like writhing worms. There was something about this girl that he didn't like. It was as if a warning signal had gone off inside of him as if saying 'Anna stay away from her'. He thought he could feel a strange presence of some kind emanating deep within her. Without a glance at her husband; Anna gently approached the girl who had not noticed them.

The little girl glanced up slowly as Anna came to her. Richard almost felt a rippling shudder go through him, he was very uneasy and kept a few steps back not wanting to be near this child.

'Hello,' Anna said kindly as she kneeled down to examine her. 'What is your name?' The girl said nothing for a second then she spoke. Her voice was soft and almost a whisper like a breathe of icy wind. Something about her voice made the hairs on Richards nape prickle uncomfortably.

'I am Samara'.

'My name is Anna, Anna Morgan and this is my husband Richard' Anna exclaimed.

Samara's dark brown eyes flickered for a second onto Richard, but went straight back to Anna again.

'You have a very pretty name' Anna said, still staring into Samara's eyes, 'it suits you'.

Samara managed a very small smile then she turned her head and continued to scrutinize the fly on the glass.

'Do you sit here all the time?' Anna asked tentatively.

Samara inclined her head just a fraction of an inch, 'Yes'.

'Why is that'? Anna queried.

'Everyone thinks that I am strange. They don't like me. They are afraid of me' Samara murmured.

Anna laid a hand on her shoulder, 'I'm not afraid of you' she said. Samara smiled a little and gazed longingly at her. This comment made Richard look at her in utter revolution. He wanted more then anything to get away from this girl and judging by the way Anna was talking to her, it looked like she was going to choose her.

It didn't take long for his trepidation to be complete. In less then thirty minutes later, Anna was leading the young Samara by the hand to the front desk of the shelter. Elizabeth, who was busy shuffling papers into a file, glanced up as she saw them coming, her eyes coming to rest on the little girl and her insides stiffened abruptly. But she did not express this as the trio came towards her.

'Ah so you have chosen Samara!' she said placing the file into a cabinet.

'She will make a wonderful addition to the family, won't she Richard' Anna exclaimed.

Richard whose thoughts were circling with fear spoke quickly, 'Oh yes… she will'.

Anna smiled at him and signed the form that Elizabeth was holding.

Elizabeth quickly came out from behind the desk and went down the hallway to another set of doors. No less then one minute later she returned carrying a small suitcase. The suitcase was constructed of dark greenish leather with golden silk on the lid and on the bottom right side was a rose etched into it. Striding back to the desk she handed it to Anna who reluctantly took it.

'You will find all of Samara's belonging's inside the case' she said putting the form aside. She gazed down at Samara who was still holding onto Anna's hand, 'I hope you enjoy your new parents' she continued. As she said this, the tone in her voice had slightly changed a little and Anna had trouble registering it. Was it hatred or something else? Anna could not tell. She shook the thought out of her mind, cleared her throat and asked curiously, 'Do you know what happened to Samara's parents?'

Elizabeth gave a small indication of a sigh, 'The father I have no idea, the mother however apparently died of complications'. She smiled again, not looking at the little girl standing before her. 'Enjoy your trip back to Moesko Island'. Anna nodded in reassurance and satisfaction. Finally she turned, motioning with her hand for Samara to follow and walked her out of the shelter. As they left, Samara turned her head and stared directly at Elizabeth, her lips forming into a malicious smile. Elizabeth glared at the little girl with up-most loathing and she spoke in a voice that only she could hear, 'I know what you are'.

Samara's smile turned instantly into a deepening scowl and an opaque gleam sparkled in her brown eyes. She whispered her reply that made Elizabeth's blood run cold, 'I know'. As she said this Elizabeth glanced down at her desk and her lower lip trembled violently. There, etched into the wood of the table was an image. An image of a woman with a distorted waterlogged face. Her mouth opened in a scream of silent terror. Elizabeth watched her go before placing a file atop of the horrible image. She was shaking and her breath caught in her throat. But at the same time their was relief. She spoke out to herself in a shaky horse voice that was distant, 'It is the fear of the monster deep within, waiting to be called and that monster is YOU!' she retorted, spitting it out in pure unrelenting venom. At last after eight years, the little freak was gone, banished to a new home. She smirked a little to herself as the car drove away before finishing with a bitter statement, 'You were never seen in the eyes of god; the devil will always follow in your footsteps'.

**Authors Note: I have been busy with Uni work but I wanted to update this first chapter because I realized that I missed out some key information regarding Samara and where she was adopted from. I was watching the Ring Two the other day and found important points. I really wanted to provide more detail of what the shelter was like and the foreshadowing of the fountain to where Evelyn had tried to drown Samara as a baby. The suitcase also provides more background to Samara's real mother. I also wanted Sister Elizabeth to express pure disgust to Samara as she knows what she is capable off. I will provide heaps of information about Evelyn in later chapters because she is going to play an important role later in the story. I was thinking to actually have Samara reunite with Evelyn but I don't know how it will play out. I am hoping to add Samara's biological father the Ocean Entity into the story as well. I also want to thank SKAM Asakura Lawliet for reviewing my story :)**


	2. My new Mommy

**Chapter 2: My new mommy **

Samara sat dully in the back seat of the Cadillac, her eyes drawn downward in an expression of uncertainty. Every few minutes Anna kept on glancing at her new daughter with a shimmering smile. Samara turned to face her, the curtain of black hair parting to reveal the rest of her face. Her dark brown eyes made Anna feel secure and serene and in that moment of longing, reached out to hold her hand. Gingerly, Samara accepted the gesture and intertwined her small fingers around her new adoptive mother. Richard was aware of what his wife was doing and snapped his eyes to the road, wishing that the girl would disappear into a different dimension. As the car trundled along the ever-closing bodies of the pines branched out as the road turned widened to reveal a large expanse of rural countryside. It stretched away as far as the eye could see and the fields awed Samara, hosting a variety of animals. The Cadillac soon pulled into the driveway of the Morgan's ranch and Samara's eyes darted left and right observing the white painted barn and the house lit up by the rays of the midday sun as it shone through the veil of cloud.

Very slowly Samara climbed out of the back seat and stepped onto the dew covered grass. She gazed up at Anna who was smiling at her with genuine kindness. 'I have something to show you that you would love'.

'What is it?' asked Samara, curious to see what Anna had in store.

'A very special creature' Anna replied taking Samara by the hand and gently taking her to the direction of the stables. Richard stopped dead in his tracks and watched them go. His heart rate increased and so did his breathing. '_She was taking her to see the horses, his beloved horses'_. His hands balled into clenched fists and very slowly he followed. Anna led Samara to the nearest horse, a beautiful Irish Draught named Raven. She snorted vigorously as her nostrils dilated, slowly taking in the scent of this stranger. Anna reached up and stroked the horse's mane with graceful delicacy.

'This one is called Raven and she is very special to me. I have rid her many times at horse shows hosted on the mainland and she is the first one I ever owned'.

Samara looked up at the horse with curiosity, her dark brown eyes inspecting its head as it continued to gaze at her.

'It's lovely' she whispered back, her lips barely moving.

'You can touch her if you want to' Anna said, unlocking the gate to allow access.

Richard felt his blood freeze with terror and adrenaline coursed through his body, watching as this wretched girl reached up and touched his Raven on the head. Raven appeared unaffected by the presence of this new visitor as she stroked her long black mane.

'I like her' Samara said coolly as she walked out of the holding pen. Anna beamed at her when out of the corner of her eye noticed Richard standing there looking pale. Her eyes narrowed in uncertain suspicion as she stared at her husband.

'Are you alright dear?' she asked.

Richard snapped out of his trance and looked at his wife, his breathing beginning to slow. Eventually he managed a very small indication of a smile. 'I'm alright, the driving has made me uneasy today'

Anna's eyes swept over her husband's face then glanced down at Samara who was scrutinizing the other horses. 'I think it's time we head inside to show Samara her room, what do you think Richard?'

Richard cleared his throat. 'I think that is a great idea' he replied in a dry tone.

Together the three of them walked toward the house but not before Richard turned back to look at his Raven. The horse still showed the same tranquil expression, however Richard was still unsure about this girl, he knew there was something wrong with her, something behind her innocent façade. Anna casually walked up the flight of steps that led to the balcony at the front of the house and opened the door noiselessly. The interior of the house was old with a strange musty odor emanating within its complexities. Trophies of horse races won and paintings decorated the walls as Samara blinked in wonderment at her new home. The family room opened out into a kitchen, where a set of chairs and a wooden table stood proudly, their polished surfaces gleaming in the dull light. Next to the family room was a wooden staircase that led to the upper floors and a lounge room containing more paintings, trophies and a fireplace. The object that was interesting in this room was a set of two wooden doors that were positioned like that of a wardrobe. Anna moved slowly towards them and opened the sliding doors. They branched out, revealing a wall with dark grey wallpaper. The one thing that instantly caught Samara's attention was what hung in the middle of the wall. A small oval mirror with a metal frame, that ran around it in a twirling repetitive pattern. Samara stared at it unblinkingly, watching her reflection flicker in and out of focus within its glassy depths.

Anna came up beside her and squeezed her shoulder gently.

'I love this mirror Samara; this is where I brush my hair everyday. Tomorrow morning would you like me to brush yours?'

Samara glanced up at Anna with her inquisitive brown eyes, 'I would love that mommy'.

Behind them out of view, Richard glowered at the little girl with disgust. Oh how he despised her. He hated her from the moment he set eyes upon her face. She was stealing his dear Anna from him, her innocent little unblinking eyes consuming the essence of his wife. He shuddered slowly and walked into view, his expression changing as Anna turned to him as she led Samara up the staircase.

The staircase was old, rough and creaky with each set of stairs emitting a groan every time a foot was placed upon it. Samara's room was the spare room at the end of the hallway next to where Richard and Anna slept. It was a reasonable size with silk curtains and a bed with a wooden frame, white mattress and sheets. Anna gazed down at her, 'Do you like the bed? It matches your dress?'

Samara looked into Anna's face and replied in a soft voice, 'I love it mommy'.

Anna smiled again, turning to face her husband then she continued, 'Would you like to see us feed the horses?'

Samara shook her head slowly, 'I want to stay in my room' she replied.

'You can stay in here for as long as you want' Anna said, touching her lightly on the shoulder. With that she beckoned Richard and the two left, leaving Samara alone. Very slowly she walked to the curtains and drew them with pale arms, watching her new parents as they strode across towards the stables. She scowled at Richard darkly. She resented him with a passion, she didn't like the way he looked at her, but she loved Anna, for Anna was kind, showing love and compassion. 'My new mommy' Samara whispered to herself and she walked over to her bed and sat there watching the sun cast its glow onto the stables.

About half an hour later there was a knock on the door and Samara glanced up to see Richard standing in the doorway, dressed in a leather jacket.

'Your dinner is down stairs, and your mother is waiting for you' he rasped.

Samara slowly slipped off the bed and walked towards the door. She stopped to look up into her new father and saw nothing but resentment in his eyes.

'Move it' he hissed.

Samara did as she was told and moved down the stairs towards the kitchen, where Anna was busy boiling a pot water and cutting up chicken and vegetables. She glanced up as Samara entered, beaming at her.

'I am making a chicken potpie it was my mothers recipe. She would make it on special occasions and as such I have just adopted a daughter, and I am making it for the three of us'.

Samara sat down on one of the four chairs, watching Anna stir the pot of chicken and taking in the succulent scent of the meat.

As Anna finished serving the last of the potatoes onto the plates, Richard came down the stairs; he had just been in his office on the upper floor, negotiating certain issues regarding the horses. His eyes swept the room, smiling at Anna and then finally coming to rest on Samara. His expression changed somehow, but he kept the smile going. Samara knew however that it was no smile and her brown eyes flickered onto the plate in front of her. The chicken had been neatly cut and a line of leek; potatoes and carrots decorated the outside.

Suddenly Anna held out a hand to Richard and Samara and spoke out of the dimmed silence. 'Before we begin, let us pray to god for bringing Samara into our lives'. As she said this Richard's breath caught in his throat but he soon regained it. The two of them spoke in quite voices as Samara sat, watching her two new parents.

'Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever and ever. Amen'. And with the lord's prayer spoken, the three of them ate in silence.

After supper concluded Anna lead Samara back up the creaky set of stairs towards her room. She paused at the door while Samara entered. 'Would you like me to read you anything?' At this particular question Samara tilted her head to one side her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. 'I don't understand, what does reading mean?' she responded for she had never encountered this type of behaviour at the woman's shelter. Anna blinked in surprise pondering the situation. 'When I talked to the lady at the woman's shelter today she said that your mother died of troubles when you were very young. Do you remember your mother at all or your father? Did the people at the orphanage read or sing you anything before you went to bed?'

Samara remained silent for a long while then whispered, 'I didn't know my daddy but mommy I sort of remember, the mean lady at the orphanage said I hurt her and made her crazy and she said I never cried'.

Anna looked shocked at this statement, staring down at Samara with waves of sympathy. So Elaine had lied to her about Samara's mother but why? What was the reason for concealing the truth? She pondered for a long while but remembered that Samara was by legal right her daughter now. She didn't have to worry about such things; after all she had the one thing that her womb had denied her for three years. A child, whose hand she could hold.

**Authors Note: This is was quite a fun chapter to write as I wanted to describe what the Morgan Ranch looked like and the setup to where Samara has her first encounter with a horse, which in later chapters progresses to some horrific incidents where they go crazy, just like in the film. The next chapter focuses on the oval mirror where Anna brushes Samara's hair. It is the first time Anna begins to experience hallucinations and horrific imagery; unintentionally projected by Samara. **


	3. I saw it in my head

**Chapter 3: I saw it in my head  
**

Anna woke early next morning with a yawn and walked towards the room of her new daughter. Very slowly she pushed the door open. She was expecting Samara to be asleep in bed all snuggled inside her sheets. Instead she was sitting on the side of the bed, watching a fly that had come into her room fly round and round the ceiling. Samara's head had gradually turned as Anna entered the room. Her eyes became unveiled as the curtain of black hair fell away, giving rise to her pale features.

'Did you sleep well?' Anna asked.

'I have trouble sleeping' Samara replied in a passive voice.

'Why is that sweetheart?' Anna replied, somewhat confused.

'I don't know' Samara continued dully as she lifted her head to watch the fly again.

Anna gazed at her for a long time then walked towards the door, 'I promised I would brush your hair in front of my mirror downstairs'.

At this Samara hopped off the bed and ambled towards Anna, 'Ok'.

Anna nodded in reassurance then lead her downstairs in front of the oval mirror.

From the pocket of her nightgown she produced a white brush and held it in front of the glassy frame. She twirled the long dark strands of Samara's hair around her fingertips then began to smooth them out, smiling as she did so. While she was doing this Samara's face remained passive and unblinking. Anna bent down to remove something from her pocket, and then straightened up to continue the brushing.

It was then that she screamed loud and clear in a high-pitched shriek, the brush falling to the floor with a clatter. In the reflection of the mirror was a distorted face, her face, dripping with water and her mouth stretched and lopsided as though someone had dislocated it. Then as soon as it appeared it vanished almost instantly. Anna stood there breathing very fast and quivering uncontrollably. Richard who had heard the noise burst into the room with startling ferocity and found Anna still standing but shaking in front of the mirror.

'Anna what is going on?'

Anna stared into her husband's eyes and in a shaky voice replied, 'It's nothing Richard'.

Richard looked at her slowly then down at Samara with dangerous eyes. Samara just stood there with a very blank expression but at the same time there was a hint of concern etched within her voice.

'Are you okay mommy'? Samara asked.

Anna looked at her daughter with reassuring eyes.

'Yes dear, I'm fine, mommy just had a small scare' she responded.

She picked up the brush from the floor and continued smoothing out Samara's hair, glancing at her reflection every now and then but the face did not reappear. She wondered what had actually happened. Was it a trick of the light or was it something different entirely she could not understand. All she hoped for was to never see that horrid face in her mirror ever again.

**Authors Note: I know this was a very short chapter but the next one is going to be much longer. This is one of the many hallucinations that Anna experiences through out the story. The visions become more sinister and horrific over time. Also there will be a chapter later on where Samara's fear to water is explained. As my story progresses there will be chapters on Shelter Mountain and a scene at a horse race.**


	4. A watery surprise

**Chapter 4: A watery surprise  
**

For the rest of the week Anna's mind was fixated on the hideous image she visualized in the oval mirror; the stretched mouth, gaping and yawning as though it would swallow her whole, the face oozing streams of water, the eyes blank and staring wide. She shuddered with the thought as it hung in her mind like a poisonous cloud. Samara meanwhile was sitting at the table, her dark brown unwavering eyes fixed upon Anna. Anna swallowed then spoke softly, not wanting Richard, who was in his study to overhear on the conversation. 'Samara, did you see anything in front of the mirror on Tuesday?'. Samara blinked and looked at her with misperception.

'No, but I am confused Mommy, why did you scream so loudly?' she responded.

Anna moved towards Samara and placed a hand upon her shoulder with strong maternal compassion 'Mommy saw a face in the reflection earlier this week that made her scared'.

'A face that made you scared' Samara frowned, 'all I saw was you Mommy. I wasn't scared'.

Anna's eyes swept her face and very gently tucked a strand of her dark raven hair behind her left ear. 'You are a very sweet girl Samara' she stated, lightly planting a kiss upon her brow. She stood up straight admiring her with the white dress and little black shoes. 'You look very pretty with the dress, shoes and long hair sweetheart' she continued with a smile. 'You are going to grow up into an exceptionally beautiful woman one day and when you are old enough; you can start running the ranch with me and Daddy'. Anna stared longingly at the little girl before her and as she did so, the horrific image of the face faded away leaving only the image of her little eight year old daughter. She bent down again and bestowed another light kiss. 'Mommy has to go and have a shower now' she added, taking the wooden steps to the bathroom. She glanced back while ascending the stairs as Samara sat passively at the table. Walking down the dark corridor, Anna quickly glanced at her husband. Richard was still in his office and chatting on the phone, deep in conversation with a veteran Jockey named Micheal Rameriz. Anna sighed and opened the door to the bathroom.

The bathroom was fashioned with a series of dirty white and black tiles, covering the floor. Each tile was small and shaped like that of a hexagon. The black tiles were at the entrance to the door, running along in a long straight line while the rest of the floor was a dusty white. The tiles along the walls however were larger and more rectangular. Sighing, she stepped into the bathroom, closed the door and turned on the water, watching it flow rhythmically from the shower head. She closed her eyes and slowly let her consciousness slip into the sensation of the water as it flowed down her body. She breathed a great sigh of relief, _'the image was gone'_.

Anna swayed gently as the water continued to cascade out of the shower head. It was then that she felt something. Something unlike the water dripping over her back. Anna felt a bizarre tickling sensation on the back of her nape. She opened her eyes. A long, thin strand of black hair was slivering like a snake down her shoulder. She thought it was her own hair and tried to remove it with a flick of her hand but it would not move. Then suddenly another strand appeared, this time on the other side of her neck, coiling itself around her throat like a constricting python. Anna tried to jerk her head but as she did this more strands began to appear and wrap themselves around her neck. She then realized with utter horror that they were coming from within the shower head. She attempted to yank at the strands snaking out of it but they wouldn't budge. More and more strands crawled forth from the shower head until they prevented the water from flowing. They crept down her body like black wriggling worms, tightening around her waist and pinning her arms and legs together like a trussed up chicken. Very soon Anna was completely covered from head to foot in a mass of squirming raven hair and she was unable to scream. She glanced down at the drain and her eyes began to widen in fear. Instead of emptying down the drain, the water was rising steadily; filling the bath tub in the opposite direction. It flowed over and around her feet and began slinking up her legs. Anna was writhing and twisting as the hair strands yanked her angrily, preventing her from struggling as the water continued to rise up her body. Eventually it reached her mouth and the hair covering it parted like a curtain being drawn and Anna was assaulted head on by a torrential flood of water spilling into her mouth. She began to cough and gag violently as the water continued its journey down her throat. Her eyes rolled up into her head and was just about to pass out from the deadly affront when suddenly, the strands slackened their savage grip and retreated hastily back into the shower head, allowing the water to pour out once more. The water rising up her body crashed down into the bath tub with a booming splash. Anna was gasping for air, she fell down into the tub, her entire body contracting into a series of shaking spasms. Mustering all the air in her lungs, Anna released a scream so load, that the tiles in the bathroom rang out in a echoing chorus.

The door outside the bathroom emitted a load bang as Richard's voice thundered from the other side. 'ANNA!' he roared slamming his fist against the door. Shaking with fear, Anna quickly turned off the tap.'RICHARD!' she shrieked at the top voice, climbing out, grabbing a towl and unlocking the door with fumbling fingers. Richard stormed into the Bathroom and Anna flung herself into his arms sobbing uncontrollably.

'What is going on?' Richard growled holding Anna tightly as she continued to sob. Anna locked eyes with him and spoke in a quivering voice. 'Something attacked me Richard. Something with long black hair. It grabbed me by the neck and then tried to suffocate and drown me'. Richard glanced up at the bathroom just as the hall behind him darkened. His eyes falling upon the shape of Samara standing in the hallway looking up at him. He glared at her then thrust a out finger and pointed it in a threatening manner. 'Go to your room now!' he snarled. Samara blinked once and very slowly without looking away, shuffled off towards her room. Anna looked onward as Samara walked away then quickly rounded upon Richard.

'What has our daughter done to deserve going to her room?' She snapped.

Richards eyes blazed angrily 'She is not my daughter, she is causing all this.' he rasped, releasing her quickly.

Anna's eyes widened in shock 'She has done nothing wrong and she is our daughter Richard, why can't you just love her like a father'.

Richard slammed his fist furiously against the wall that it made Anna cringe in fright 'I AM NOT HER FATHER!' he raged and without another word he stormed into his and slammed the door.

Anna just stood in the dark hall, trembling then quickly walked towards Samara's room and opened the door. Samara was sitting on the side of the bed, her face completely shadowed by her long dark hair. Locking the door quietly Anna came over towards the little girl and held her tightly. Samara looked up into her eyes and spoke softly. 'Why was Daddy angry?'

Anna thought for a long time before answering 'Mommy was just having a talk and Daddy wasn't happy, so he went to his office for a while'.

Samara said nothing as she looked down at the floor then replied, 'Daddy doesn't love me, does he Mommy?'

Anna looked shocked before hugging her tightly. 'Of course Daddy loves you, sometimes he just gets angry. All adults get angry'.

She held her in a loving motherly fashion and kissed her gently on the cheek.

'We are your parents Samara and until our last breath we will always love you' Anna continued.

For the rest of the afternoon she held the girl in her arms, watching the red face of the sun sink below the trees.

**Author's note: Finally another chapter! I enjoyed writing this one, I really wanted to portray this scene as really creepy and show Richard's hatred towards Samara. The next chapter I hope to post soon. Until next time. :)**


	5. Take her to where she is afraid of

**Chapter 5: Take her to where she is afraid of.  
**

Anna was still holding onto Samara when the door finally opened and she looked up to see Richard glaring down at the pair of them. Finally he cleared his throat. 'Anna I need to talk to you... alone' he rasped. Finally Anna nodded before turning back to Samara.

'Mommy has to have a chat with daddy but she will be right back' she stated, kissing her on the cheek.

'Okay mommy' Samara replied looking down at the floor.

Anna followed Richard into his study as he closed the door, locking it behind him.

'Anna we need to do something about this girl' Richard replied in a deep tone.

Anna glanced at the door then back at Richard.

'Samara has done nothing, why are you always suspecting her?'

Richard banged his fist on the desk, causing Anna to jump. 'That creature is no kin to either of ours' he snarled

Anna looked horrified by Richards words, 'how dare you call her a creature, she is a litt-'

'SHE IS EVIL ANNA!' Richard roared pounding his fist furiously into the table. 'I should of left her at the shelter, that is where she belongs'.

He was breathing heavily now his eyes angrily fixed on the table. Finally he said 'I want you to take Samara for a bath, it's about time she needed one, she looks filthy'.

Anna was trembling and it took her a few minutes to recover from her husband's fury, but she slowly recovered and went back towards Samara's room. As she entered she smiled again just as the little girl looked up.

'I think it is time that you will be needing a bath' she said.

At those words Samara somewhat froze and her tone became more louder, 'A...bath?' she replied.

Anna just continued to beam and gently took her by the hand and led her toward the bathroom.

She locked the door and slowly turned on the tap. Water began to gush out in great quantities, splashing all over the bottom of the tub. She looked at Samara who was backing away from her with a look of concern.

'Honey, come and get in, it's alright'.

'I don't want to' Samara replied with a quiver to her voice.

'It's okay its just water, I need to get you cleaned up sweetie'.

Slowly Anna moved over to Samara and placed her gently into the bath.

As soon as the water came into contact with her skin, Samara began to shake violently, her body curling up into a fetal position.

'Samara, its okay' Anna cooed splashing the water down her back.

'Get me out' Samara said firmly her hands clutching the side of the bath.

'Samara I just need to clean you alright' Anna replied briskly as she continued to pour water onto the girl.

She moved her hand to turn off the tap, as she did so however she found that the water kept on flowing. Curious, Anna tightened the tap more but still the water was flowing. It was then that she realized that the lip of the bath was beginning to overflow. She staggered back as the liquid began to spill all over the floor. Then to her up most horror the seething mass of liquid was levitating out of the bath in large quantities, rising and pulsating. As it did so a strange eery unearthly sound filled the room, a high pitched scream that almost caused Anna's eardrums to burst with the intense sound. A strange humming filled her head and as every second ticked by, it escalated into an intense headache as though someone had placed a giant clamp around her skull and was attempting to crush it. Anna was beginning to breathe very fast, watching the water rise from the bath in a paranormal way. She scrambled to her feet and rushed out the door just as Richard came around the corner looking at the corridor which was completely flooded with water. 'Anna get her out of there right now' he raged.

Anna rushed back towards the bathroom and pulled the door open again. What she saw next almost made her faint. A writhing mass of maggots was on the floor, they were greyish and dead looking, wriggling blindly along the tiled surface and scrambling over each other. Anna looked inward to bath and almost wanted to scream. There, inside the bath was a body. A body in the process of decay. The image pierced the very inner depths of her soul, like it had been burned inside her. Ragged strips of flesh hung of the arms and legs. And the face was stretched in the same lopsided manner as she had seen in the mirror. But she knew that this was only a hallucination, only a vision. And she knew now that Richard did have a point. There was something wrong with her daughter, and she herself was going crazy, driven insane by the torrent of images that flooded her head. Without hesitating, she shook her head to clear the horrible image and seized Samara around the middle and wrenched her from the bath tub. The maggots and body suddenly vanished and the water stopped rising. Richard was standing behind, watching the incident unfold before his eyes. He eventually spoke as the water continued to drip out of the bath and onto the floor. 'I think it is time to see Dr. Grasnik'.

**Authors Note: This chapter was a great one to write, most of you will be familiar with the scene with the bathtub and the water rising off it from the Ring Two, where Samara attempts to take control of Aidan and possess him so that Rachel can become her new mother. The next chapter will focus on Samara and Anna consulting Dr. Grasnik and where she refers them to Eloa County Psychiatric Hospital on the mainland. There, Samara eventually comes under the care of a kind Psychiatrist called Agatha Winter, a character that I made up for this story. The boy who Samara befriends in the hospital is very similar to Aidan and he is named Ethan. **


End file.
